


Bring Down the Bastille

by FrozenVoid



Category: Blue Bloods (TV)
Genre: Bisexual Danny Reagan, Depression, F/M, Family Loss, Insomnia, M/M, Original Character(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:13:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23869564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenVoid/pseuds/FrozenVoid
Summary: Sometimes the most surprising things can pull us from the darkness we've locked ourselves in.
Relationships: Danny Reagan/Original Male Character(s), Edit "Eddie" Janko/Jamie Reagan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 6





	Bring Down the Bastille

_He didn’t like it._

_The quiet._

_The emptiness._

_It shouldn’t have been this way._

_It shouldn’t be like this._

_She should be here._

_It was their time now._

_But she’s not here._

_She’s not._

_Danny leans forward on the couch, elbows on knees, face in his hands._

_“Danny.”_

“Danny!” 

Danny looked up from his seat at Baez. The music and cheers hit his ears, the reception was in full blown party mode now. He looks towards the dance floor at the bride and groom, the bride now in a shorter dress, much easier to dance wild in. When had she changed? 

“You alright?” Baez asked, tilting her head. She notices his slightly flush completion and smiles a little. “Danny Reagan, are you drunk?” Danny gives her a tight smile. 

“I’m fine,” he stands putting all his power into being steady “Gonna go grab some air.”

“Okay, be careful.” 

Baez watches as he leaves, slight worry on her face. 

The cool Montauk air hits Danny a little harder than he anticipated. His body jolts at the sudden change in temperature but quickly adjusts. 

Fall in Montauk is always nice. Tourism dies down, it’s not unbearably cold yet. Well, now it was because it was a quarter past midnight and he was on the beach. Danny shivers and gives his arms a rub as he descends the stairs. 

A man sits at the bottom of the steps with a bottle of wine. He looks up at the sound of Danny’s descent. 

“Hey,” he says. 

Danny nods towards him. “Hey.”

“They still partying up there?” 

“Oh yeah, bride switched dresses and everything.”

“Oh boy, the old second dress for crazy partying.” 

Danny lets out a little laugh. 

The man chuckles. “Sorry, I don't really know anyone here, my friend just dragged me as his plus one.”

“Yeah? Mine did too.” 

“To the Plus Ones,” the man says as he holds up the wine bottle, which is still corked. 

Danny smiles and nods at that. 

The man holds up his hand. “Rohan.”

“Danny,” he takes Rohan’s hand and they shake. 

Danny notices the warmth of Rohan’s hand despite the man being out in the cool air longer. Even in the darkness, Danny can see the man’s darker complexion against his own, his thick, wavy black hair and little stubble.There was something about him that made Danny feel...something. Perhaps it was just the loneliness Baez kept getting on him about reaching out to grip the first person he interacted with. 

Their hands release. 

“You going to drink that yourself?” Danny asked as he gestured to the corked wine bottle. 

“I mean,” Rohan holds it up and looks at it. “It would be half empty by now if I had a corkscrew. But in my hasty snatch and grab I had forgotten.” 

Danny asks with a smirk. “You stole that from the bar?” 

“It’s an open bar,” Rohan said. “I just took the liberty of serving myself.” 

Danny smiles at that and takes a seat next to Rohan. 

“Let me see that,” he said as he reached into his pocket, but what he was looking for wasn’t there. 

“Lemme guess,” Rohan points at him, “left your keys in the hotel room.” 

Danny gives him a small glare and Rohan laughs. 

“Hey, if you go get the corkscrew you can have half the bottle.” 

Danny looks back up the stairs to the lit windows and the sound of faint music. He places the bottle down and stands, he removes his jacket. 

Rohan watches him curiously. 

Danny picks the bottle up and wraps it in his jacket. 

“Oh no,” Rohan stands. “You’re gonna break it.” 

“I’m not gonna break it.” 

“Wait, wait,” Rohan takes off his jacket and holds it out to Danny. 

“The one jacket is enough.” 

“Just-” Rohan shakes the jacket at Danny. Danny rolls his eyes with a smirk. He takes Rohan’s jacket and wraps it around the bottle as well.

After a few hits against the wooden railing, Rohan watching nervously, the cork begins to pop out. Rohan was amazed it was actually working and Danny just shook his head at him. Perhaps the couple of drinks Danny had before were making him be so entertained by this man but he couldn’t help but smile at him. It was nice to be with someone who just...didn’t know you. He was just Danny. 

He wasn’t Danny the Detective.

He wasn’t Danny the Marine. 

He wasn’t Danny the Single Father.

He wasn’t Danny the Widower 

He was just…

Danny. 

“I think I can get it now,” Rohan said as he reached out for the bottle. Danny unwrapped it from the jackets and hung them over the railing. The cork was sticking out enough for Rohan to grip and twist it out. With a satisfying pop, it came out. 

Both men cheered. 

“Well, I believe the honor is yours,” Rohan held out the bottle to Danny. Danny accepted it and took the first swig. 

The moon reflected on the ocean as the waves crashed in the darkness, booming in the otherwise silent night. 

Rohan looked out at the shimmering sea. 

“We should go skinny dipping,” Rohan blurts out. 

Danny furrows his brows. “And end up like the girl in Jaws?” That was his response to skinny dipping with a strange, oh yes, he was drunk enough tonight. 

“A shark won’t eat us.”

“Maybe not but this wine wasn’t the only alcoholic beverage I’ve had tonight,” Danny said as he raised the now empty wine bottle. 

“Same,” Rohan twirled the cork in his hand. “I don’t want to drown, there are some books I still want to read. Maybe next time then.” He looked up and smiled at Danny. 

It was harder to see now in the night, but Danny’s eyes fell on Rohan’s smile and he mirrored it. He felt his face flush. Had to be the wine. Yet his eyes were roaming his face, taking in his features and he could feel Rohan’s eyes doing the same. 

Danny started to feel dizzy. 

He ripped his eyes away and cleared his throat. 

“I think I’m, uh...gonna head in. Long ride tomorrow,” he said as he stood up slowly. 

Rohan looked away and scratched the back of his neck. 

“Yeah, it’s getting late and I have a drive too.” 

Danny grabbed a jacket from the railing and faced Rohan. “It was nice meeting you and thanks for sharing the wine.” 

Rohan stood. “Hey, wouldn’t have had any if it wasn’t for you.” 

Danny smiles and nods. 

“Good Night, Rohan.” 

“Good Night, Danny.” 

-

Danny lay awake in his hotel bed. He still felt the buzz of the wine in his head but it wasn’t just from the wine. Wine wasn’t responsible for everything he was feeling right now. 

This was one of the things he hated the most. 

Getting into bed alone. 

This was where he felt the emptiness the most. 

He squeezed his eyes shut and rolled over. 

He didn’t sleep that night. 

-

It was just after 8 when Baez pulled up in front of Danny’s house after the three hour ride and turned off the car. 

“Thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Danny went to open the door, but it clicked lock. 

“Are you okay?” Baez asked as Danny slowly turned to her. 

“I’m fine.” 

“You disappeared last night and barely said three words the whole ride home.” 

“I...drank a little too much, so I left the party a bit early.” 

“To do what? Because it wasn’t sleep.” 

Danny gives her a tired glare. Baez looks at him with that concern on her face. He was getting tired of that look being directed at him. Not just from her. 

“I’m fine, I promise,” he said with a tight smile. He knew she would see right through the lie, but he was hoping she’d have enough sympathy to let him go. 

She turned away from him and the doors clicked open. He watched her for a couple of seconds. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said as he opened the door. 

“You can talk to me Danny, you know that right?” she asked before he could step out. 

“I know,” he responded. “I just...have nothing to say right now.” 

He steps out of the car and grabs his bag and suit from the backseat. Baez doesn’t pull away from the curb until he gets his front door open. 

The house was quiet. Sean had asked to stay at a friends house while he was gone. Danny allowed him, he didn’t want him alone in the house for the weekend. 

Upstairs in his bedroom he put his bag and suit down on the bed. He zipped open his bag and tossed his dirty clothes into the laundry basket in the corner. 

He turned to his suit. He looked at it for a second before realizing it wasn’t his jacket. He had worn a dark navy jacket, this one was black. 

He must have grabbed the wrong one last night. 

He must have also been really out of it this morning if he hadn’t noticed at the hotel. 

“Damn it.” 

He hung the jacket on the outside of the door. He sat down on the edge of the bed and took off his shoes. He looked over at the jacket. He’d have to see if he could get Rohan’s information to return it. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, but he let out a sigh and laid down.

-

“Dad?”

He heard footsteps pounding up the steps. Who was that with such a heavy step? He didn’t want to leave the darkness. 

“Dad?” 

It was closer now. 

“Dad?” It was right there. 

Danny opened his eyes and saw Sean in the doorway. 

“Hey,” he said, sitting up slowly with a grunt, his body was stiff.

“Are you okay?” Sean asked. 

Danny rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Must have just dozed off for a couple of minutes.” He glanced at the clock, and saw it was almost 10. “How was your friends?”

“It was good, except the part where there was no hot water. So, I’m gonna take a quick shower before we head for Grandpa’s.”

Right, Sunday. Danny checked his watch. Church in an hour. 

“Okay, well, glad you had fun.” 

“Yeah. How was the wedding?”

Danny smiles at his son. “It was fun. I had a good time.”

Sean’s face brightened with a smile, as if reassured. It sent a pang through Danny’s heart. 

“Go take your shower, I can smell you from here,” Danny said as he stood up. 

“What? It was one night!” 

“And you’re a young man,” Danny walked up to Sean and spun him around, “one night is all it takes,” he gave him a playful shove. “Now go.” 

Danny watched Sean disappear down the hall. Something that too will be gone soon. He rubbed the back of his stiff neck as he headed to his own shower, in hopes the cold water would wake him up.

-

Church was a nightmare. 

He could barely keep his eyes open during the readings, kneeling was more uncomfortable than usual, and Sean had tugged his sleeve because he didn’t realize it was time for communion and he was just standing there, zoned out. 

He tried to ignore the looks from the family. 

Well, he knew what the dinner discussion was going to be. 

-

“So, how hard did you party at this wedding? Considering you almost passed out during the homily,” Henry asked his oldest grandson.

“I didn’t almost pass out, I just closed my eyes...to better visualize the words of Father Peter,” Danny said as he moved his food around.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“How much did you have to drink?” Jamie asked from across the table. Danny glared at him. “Cause you know, your hangovers make you pretty docile.” 

“Yeah, you do look a little flush there,” Erin said smiling at her brother. “Maybe a bit too much wine? Wine does make you pretty laid-back.” 

“Alright, alright,” Danny wanted the subject to change. 

Eddie gave out a chuckle. “I can’t even imagine Danny drunk.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk Dad,” Sean said. 

“And that’s a good thing Sean,” Frank chimed in. Danny caught his father’s eyes. “So, Jamie, Eddie,” he turned from his oldest son to his youngest with a smile. “How’s the new apartment?”

Danny didn’t eat much of his meal that night. 

-

Frank watched as Danny sat under the lamplight fumbling with his keys. He sighed and took a seat beside his son. He gave Danny a moment.

“You okay?” he asked softly. 

Danny stilled his hands and clenched his keys in one hand. 

“Haven’t...been sleeping well lately. Just been getting hit with it you know?” He didn’t need to explain what “it” was. His father knew well enough, as did his grandfather. 

Frank nodded. “Sleep was always the hardest for me too. That was where I felt the absence of your mother the most.”

“Does it go away?” 

Frank took a breath and let out a sigh. “No, but it gets easier.” He watches his son closely. “But you’ll also get these moments where it feels like...everything just happened yesterday.” 

Then Frank saw something he never wants to see in any of his children.

Defeat. 

Danny squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath. 

“Danny.”

“I should go,” Danny stood up fast. “Sean’s got school tomorrow.” He walked over to the stairs and shouted, “Sean, let’s head out!” 

Frank stood and followed Danny to the front door. Sean barreled down the steps. Danny opened the front door. 

“Bye Grandpa,” Sean said as he gave Frank a hug and then headed towards the car. Frank turned to his son. 

“I’m okay, Dad,” Danny said quietly and made a quick escape before his father could say anymore. 

-

Danny rolled around in his bed. He was frustrated. Baez refused to call her friend, who was on her honeymoon, to ask if she may be able to track down Rohan. Other than his name and the fact he was friends with someone at that wedding, Danny had no other leads. 

He sat up, his eyes fell upon the jacket hanging on his closet door. He got out of bed and pulled on sweats and running shoes. He left a note for Sean just in case his son awoke for whatever reason at 3AM and saw his father gone. 

South Beach wasn’t a place Danny went often, but you couldn’t deny the view of the Verrazano Bridge. 

He ran back and forth along the beach for about an hour before he began to get a side stitch. He headed up to the pier and leaned against the railing. He did a few stretches for his back and legs and wrapped up the work out. He rested his arms on the rail and leaned his forehead down on them, taking deep breaths of the cold air. The sky was beginning to shift from night to dawn and he knew he should head back home. 

He lifted his head and the next thing he knew he was down on his side watching as the sky changed from black to orange to blue, which was then consumed by black.

**Author's Note:**

> bastille [ ba-steel; French bas-tee-yuh ]
> 
> noun, plural bas·tilles [ba-steelz; French bas-tee-yuh] .
> 
> 1) (initial capital letter) a fortress in Paris, used as a prison, built in the 14th century and destroyed July 14, 1789.  
> 2) any prison or jail, especially one conducted in a tyrannical way.  
> 3) a fortified tower, as of a castle; a small fortress; citadel.


End file.
